Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Second Midterm Exam

Here is the Second Midterm Exam. There are three questions below. I would like all of you to answer Question #1. You may then choose to answer either question #2 or question #3. This is a take-home exam. You may use whatever resources are at your disposal (but please make sure that you are doing your own original work). The exam should be returned to me via email no later than 11:59 PM on March 10th.

Question 1.

Imagine that you are a reporter "Lubbock Life" magazine, a new publication aimed at interested and aware Lubbockites. Your editor has had a negative experience with fire ants and has watched a nature show on the Discover Channel that talked about problems caused by the introduction of predators to islands. The Editor knows that you are savvy about environmental matters so she/he asks you to write an article discussing "invasive species". Your word limit is 1200 words.

Question 2. (this question refers to the figure at the top of the post)

This figure shows how several abiotic characteristics of a river change as you move down stream. Discuss why the river shows these changes.

Question 3.

Imagine that you attend a university located in a climate where the combination of water and geographic relief made it possible to have a stream flowing through campus. The administration of this university is interested in developing "environmental awareness" among the student body and the extended campus family. You have been hired to give a presentation to prospective students and their parents about various interesting environmental aspects of the campus environment.

You are charged with developing a presentation about the adaptations of stream organisms. (a good presentation will deal with some of the problems faced by organisms living in a stream environment and examples of adaptations in both animals and plants).